Alumnae Awards

Alumna Nomination

Nominate an Alumna for the Trocaire Leadership Awards, the Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Distinguished Alumna Award, Maria Lutz McHugh '46 Award, or the Athletic Hall of Fame with this online nomination form.

The Alumnae Association honors its stars preceding the annual October Reunion gathering. The stars are those among us who shine, in part because of the education they received at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, an education that focuses on nurturing the whole person, intellectually, spiritually and morally. These women inspire and motivate others; exhibit outstanding leadership in their professional and personal lives and throughout the community; are committed to personal growth, social responsibility and global awareness, and contribute to the development of others through mentorship and volunteerism. These women serve as models of success through their leadership, unique talents and qualities of mercy and compassion exhibited in their chosen fields.

The Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Alumnae Association is now taking nominations for the following 2020 awards. The deadline for nomination is July 1, 2020.

Trocaire Awards Presented in 2020
Education
Government/Legal
Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Margaret Beirn Barger ’35 Distinguished Alumnae Award 2020

Athletic Hall of Fame Award 2020

Maria Lutz McHugh '46 Award 2020

For more information regarding the Trocaire Leadership Awards, Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Distinguished Alumna Award, and Athletic Hall of Fame, and Maria Lutz McHugh '46 Award please see below.

Alumnae Awards

Trocaire Leadership Awards: Service to the World

During the 150th Anniversary Celebration, eight women from various fields were honored with inaugural Trocaire Leadership Awards. Each year since then, four women are honored from the eight fields.

Awards Presented in 2020 (deadline for nomination: July 1, 2020)
Education
Government/Legal
Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Awards Presented in 2021
Arts
Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Healthcare/Science/Technology
Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Layperson)

The nominations of the many talented women who were not selected for awards from previous years will remain under consideration in the selection pool for this year.

Margaret Beirn Barger ’35 Distinguished Alumna Award: Service to the School

This annual award is named for Margaret Beirn Barger, a 1935 graduate of the Academy of the Sisters of Mercy, who had a life-long dedication to the Alumnae Association. Margaret served as the backbone of the organization for more than 50 years. For the first 19 years, this award has been given to graduates who represented commitment to the works of Mercy. As the Alumnae Awards program grew, this recognition now specifically focuses on alumnae who epitomize the qualities of loyalty, service, dedication and devotion to the school, all demonstrated by Margaret Beirn Barger ’35.

Athletic Hall of Fame

To preserve and honor Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School's successful athletic history, the Alumnae Association, along with the Athletic Department, accepts nominations for outstanding athletes, teams, and coaches for the Athletic Hall of Fame presented at the Reunion event each October. The Hall of Fame hopes to maintain memories and inspire young women to compete with perseverance and the utmost Mercy spirit. This Hall of Fame will include all those previously recognized on the 150th Anniversary Wall of Fame unveiled in September 2010.

Maria Lutz McHugh '46 Award for Outstanding Commitment to Gwynedd Mercy Athletics

• This prestigious award, named in honor of Maria Lutz McHugh ’46, recognizes an adult (coach, faculty member, staff member, parent, community member, etc.) who has made an outstanding commitment and demonstrated extraordinary leadership to advancing Gwynedd Mercy Athletics.

• All members of the Gwynedd Mercy Community are welcome to submit nominations for the award each year. Nominations must include a substantive narrative outlining how the nominee has made an outstanding commitment and demonstrated extraordinary leadership to advancing Gwynedd’s Athletic Program.

• Nominations initially will be reviewed by the Gwynedd Mercy Administration, and the Maria Lutz McHugh ’46 Legacy Committee will select the award recipient, with final approval provided by the Gwynedd Mercy President.

• Recipients will be recognized at an event at Gwynedd Mercy, and their names will be engraved on a plaque within the School.

Previous Award Recipients

Trocaire Leadership Award

Trocaire Leadership Award Recipients

Inaugural Trocaire Award Recipients 2010-11
Maureen Grogan Colburn '93 - Education
Peggy Dolan, Past Parent - Nonprofit
Rosemary McCarron Flannnery, Esq. '39 - Government/Legal
Frances Galante '75 - Arts
Maureen O'Connell, Ph.D. '91 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Layperson)
Kathleen Roeder, M.D. '60 - Healthcare/Science/Technology
Barbara Boyle Sullivan '54 - Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Sr. Antoinette Zimmerman, R.S.M. '57 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2012
Dr. Kathy Myers, Faculty - Education
Mary Higgins Fletcher '77 - Government/Legal
Corinne O'Connell '93 - Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Sr. Mary Klock, R.S.M. '48 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2013
Margaret Walsh Huddy '57 - Arts
Joan Murray Reynolds '48 - Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Mary Ellen Miller, R.N. (Past Parent) - Healthcare/Science/Technology
Ann Diehl Casey '50 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Layperson)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2014
Diane Dewhirst '75 - Government/Legal
Kristin M. Risi, Ph.D. '87 - Education
Teresa Araco Rodgers '91 - Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Sr. Cathe Shoulberg, R.S.M. '65 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2015
Jen Creed Rego '94 - Arts
Carolyn Fontaine Davis '97 - Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Joely Esposito, Psy.D. '88 - Healthcare/Science/Technology
Andi Land Healy '80 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Layperson)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2016
Susan Baumher Mitchell, Faculty - Education
Sallyanne Harper ‘72 - Government/Legal
Kristina Wahl ‘93 - Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Sr. Monica Sheehy, RSM ‘63 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2017
Melissa Maddoni Haims '90 - Arts
Anne McKernan Robinson '54 - Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Julie Tippens, Ph.D. '97 - Healthcare/Science/Technology
Rev. Marianne Robbins '75 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Layperson)

Trocaire Award Recipients 2018
Catherine Wilson, Ph.D. '90 - Education
Lisa Heilbronn, Ph.D. '72 - Government/Legal
Angela Amarhanov '08 - Philanthropy/Nonprofit
Sr. Rosemary Herron, RSM & Sr. Susan Walsh, RSM - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer (Religious)

Trocaire Leadership Awards 2019
Elissa Gore '68 - Arts
Eileen Maguire Maginnis '75 - Business/Entrepreneur/Engineer
Maura McLaughlin, Ph.D. '90 - Healthcare/Science/Technology
Lori Fanelli Butrus '79 - Religion/Vocation/Volunteer

Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Distinguished Alumna Award

Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipients

1992 Kate Harper Kelly, Esq. '74
1993 Nancy Faris Buckley '57
1994 Sr. Elizabeth Marie McCormick, RSM '32
1995 Peg McKenna Luksik '73 & Judy McLaughlin Bucko '60
1996 Sr. Gail deMacedo RSM '55 (posthumously)
1997 Joanne Becker Rovno '57
1998 Sr. Mary Klock, RSM '48
1999 Kathleen Roeder, MD '60
2000 Mary Elizabeth Cunningham '50
2001 Isabelle (June) McCullough Bottke '51
2002 Ann Diehl Casey '50
2003 Kathleen (Toots) Cattie Fee '61
2004 Jean Hepburn Lembach '50
2005 Alice Ann Goldkamp Bossow '60
2006 Sr. Peggy Mahoney, RSM '64
2007 Mary Jane Leaming Wahl '56
2008 Denise Corkery Marbach '72
2009 Sr. Mary Trainer, RSM '57
2010 Linda Galante, Esq. '72
2012 Cindy Antoni Conaway '71
2013 Carol Chiodo '75
2014 Eileen Cairnes Samtmann '60
2015 Cathy Cunneff Seese '46
2016 Karen McKeaney ‘88
2017 Melva Exner, Esq. '77
2018 Cory Clark Shay '95
2019 Nancy Pannepacker McKeaney '64

Athletic Hall of Fame

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients 2012
Regina Graham Mairiello '79
The 2000 Swim Team

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients 2013
Colleen Gleeson Greshock '96
Lauren Morton '04

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients 2014
1962-63 Field Hockey Team
Maisha Palmer Kelly '95

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients 2015
Moira Durkin Tozier '00
Kate Hosterman Tobias, Faculty

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipient 2016
Alex Malatesta McMahan, Esq. ‘05

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipient 2017
Lori Baiocchi King '93

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipient 2018
The 1995 Volleyball Team

Athletic Hall of Fame Recipients 2019
Clark Deardorff, Tennis Coach (posthumous)

Nomination Process

Trocaire Awards & Margaret Beirn Barger '35 Alumna Award

Please take the time to tell us about the outstanding Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School women, alumnae, parents or faculty, that you know who serve as models of success for all through dedicated leadership, commitment to excellence and tireless efforts in their chosen fields. Nominees for the Trocaire Leadership Awards are not limited to GMAHS alumnae but are women who have contributed significantly to the GMAHS community. An Alumna can receive both a Trocaire Award and the Barger Award but not in the same year. The Alumnae Awards Selection Committee will review all nominations and notify the winners prior to the event.

To nominate women for these awards (self nominations accepted), please click on the link to the right or send:
Your name and contact information
The nominee’s name and contact information
A narrative about the deserving qualities of the nominee (200 words or less)
The nominee’s resume/CV if available
Mail or email to:
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Alumnae Office
P.O. Box 902
Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437-0902
kbenson@gmahs.org
When completing the online form, please be sure to mail or email a resume/CV if available to kbenson@gmahs.org. Direct all questions to Alumnae Director Karen Price Benson ’79 at kbenson@gmahs.org or (215) 646-8815, ext. 328.

Athletic Hall of Fame

Athletic Hall of Fame Nomination

Please submit an individual athlete, team or coach that meets the following criteria:

Graduate(s) of Academy of the Sisters of Mercy or Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School at least 8 years ago (Class of 2011 or earlier).
Demonstrated outstanding Mercy Spirit through leadership and sportsmanship while attending ASM/GMAHS.
Athletic participant(s) at ASM/GMAHS, receiving recognition for exceptional athletic performance such as team captain, MVP, and school or league records.
Please include as many details as possible in nominations and include contact information with your submissions.

Nomination Guidelines

To nominate women for these awards (self nominations accepted), please click on the link to the right or send:
Your name and contact information
The nominee’s name and contact information
A narrative about the deserving qualities of the nominee (200 words or less)
The nominee’s resume/CV if available
Mail or email to:
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School Alumnae Office
P.O. Box 902
Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437-0902
kbenson@gmahs.org
When completing the online form, please be sure to mail or email a resume/CV if available to kbenson@gmahs.org. Direct all questions to Alumnae Director Karen Price Benson ’79 at kbenson@gmahs.org or (215) 646-8815, ext. 328.